Chateau-sur-Mer

AAA Editor Notes

Chateau-sur-Mer, 474 Bellevue Ave., is an ornate Victorian mansion built in 1852 for William S. Wetmore, who made his fortune in China trade. Although it was luxurious and unusually spacious for its day, the structure was enlarged in 1872 by architect Richard Morris Hunt.
Light streams into the galleried, 45-foot-high, three-story central hall through a stained-glass skylight. The grand staircase is illuminated by stained-glass windows and accented with jute painted to resemble tapestry.
The huge granite building's library and dining room, by Luigi Frullini of Florence, Italy, are decorated in Renaissance style with leather and lavishly carved walnut. Other notable features include a Turkish sitting room, the French-style ballroom with sliding mirrored doors and a Chinese “moongate” in the wall that surrounds the property.
Guided tours are available. Time: Allow 1 hour minimum.